Walking

North Wales is a magical place that must be explored and the best way to discover the true beauty of its rugged coastlines, quaint Welsh villages, glistening lakes and breathtaking mountains is on foot. And with the mountains of Snowdonia sitting so close to the beautiful coastline, Llandudno is the perfect base for your walking holiday.

Wales Coast Path

The Wales Coast Path is famed for being the only pathway that outlines an entire country. 390 miles of the total 870-mile path runs along the North Wales Coastline, and all you have to do is step outside The Imperial Hotel’s front door and you are on the Conwy section which spans 34½ miles. The longest route of this section is 18 miles taking in the Victorian seaside town of Llandudno as well as the picturesque and historic surroundings of Conwy with its magnificent castle and over 200 listed buildings dating from the 14th to the 19th centuries.

The Great Orme

The majestic Great Orme is also on the Wales Coast Path and it has many walks that take you up and around the headland where you can enjoy a rest at the summit to admire the views across Llandudno bay and over to Anglesey. There’s also a Summit Trail, Nature Trail and Historic Trail, as well as a free walking audio trail about the wildlife and shipwrecks, geology and wartime memories with 14 waymarked audio points along the 5½ mile circular route. .

Llandudno Strolls

But you don’t have to venture miles from Llandudno to find stunning views; you can enjoy lovely shorter walks from the hotel, down the Victorian Promenade, around the town and to the Pier ­rewarding you with a beautiful view of the bay from the end of the Pier.

We also recommend Haulfre Gardens which has a network of paths that lead from Llandudno’s North Shore into the well paved “invalid walk” public footpath to West Shore. Happy Valley Gardens is also on the side of the Great Orme and its paths cross between the small pools, shrubs, flowers and trees of the more formal gardens which are surrounded by the woods and grassland of the headland.

Snowdonia National Park

If you are seeking wild rocky mountains, cascading rivers, deep forests and lakes, then a drive to Snowdonia National Park will take just 20 minutes. The network of trails offers walks to suit all abilities, perfect for those want a leisurely walk or a range of routes for those that want to scale one of the peaks.

Snowdon stands at 3,560ft high offering many popular routes from the easy to the strenuous Pyg and Miner’s tracks.

However, many other mountains within the Snowdonia Mountain Park are just as beautiful and accessible. Cader Idris, the Chair of Idris, is at the southern end of the Park and at 2,930ft is very popular.

Glyderau, known as the Glyders is a mountain group which includes five of Wales’ fifteen summits over 3,000 feet. There’s also Carneddau (the Cairns) which boasts seven of the fifteen highest peaks in the country and Rhinogau (the Rhinogs) which is a Special Area of Conservation and a National Nature Reserve.

Visit the National Park’s website to choose the level of walk (Hard Mountain Walks to Easy Leisure Walks) and the location.